One-Tank Trips: St. Simons Island

SHENNA LYONSStaff Writer

Published Sunday, June 17, 2007

A great place to explore this time of year is St. Simons Island, Ga. The weather is not too hot and summer hasn't officially arrived, so visitors will be in for some great weather a little while longer.

St. Simons Island became the 13th colony in 1733 when England settled Georgia. Tourists today will find much of the landscape is still the same as they visit places such as Fort Frederica, the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum, the Bloody Marsh or Christ Church.

A vacation hot spot for more than 100 years, tourists may stroll along the park and watch dolphins play in the bay or watch a passing ship.

There are many other great places to visit and things to do on the island, including boat and trolley tours, restaurants, parks with playgrounds for family picnics and entertainment, and a little theatre.

To get to St. Simons Island, take Interstate 95 North to Exit 38 into Brunswick, make a left onto State Road 17 and a left onto St. Simons Causeway.

The trip is approximately 116 miles and takes about 2 hours.

For information, go to www.stsimonsisland.com .

1. St. Simons Ghost Tours

This is an exciting place to start an overnight stay by taking a tour of many of the haunted places on the island.

The tour is presented by historian Jenny Strauss, who has many years of experience in storytelling and as a tour guide informing and entertaining visitors about St. Simons Island.

The tour will begin at The Pier on Mallory Street and will take visitors to points of interest such as the Island tour where visitors will learn of the historic beauty of the island, stroll along the path where John and Charles Wesley walked, visit Epworth by the Sea, tour the grounds of Christ Church and Cemetery, see the African American Heritage of the Gullah/Geechee community and visit the place Eugenia Price wrote about in her novels.

To get there, follow the directions above into St. Simons Island, then to the pier at Mallory Street. For information, go to www.ghostwalkofstsimons.com or call (912) 638-2756.

2. The Lodge at Little St. Simons Island

This has so much to offer visitors it feels like having a private island to go relax on away from the hustle and bustle of noisy city life. The only way to Little St. Simons Island is by boat.

Visitors can enjoy everything from a romantic get-a-way to anniversaries, honeymoons or quiet weekends to relax either by sunning on the beach or in the privacy of a room.

There are many other things to do for great family fun, including group gatherings, family reunions or retreats. Tourists may choose from the hunting lodge; the Helen House which was built in 1928 and has a screened porch; the Michael Cottage, a bungalow built with the charm of the 1930s nestled along the edge of the forest; or the River Lodge and Cedar House with a large private deck and a great view of the river and marsh.

To get there follow directions above to St. Simons Island, take a left onto St. Simons Causeway, right onto Frederica Road and a right onto Lawrence Street. Then follow signs to the marina for passage onto the island.

Reservations must be made in advance, meals and equipment is included in fees. For information, go to www.littlestsimonsisland.com or call (888) 733-5774.

3. Southeast Adventures Outfitters Kayaking Tours

These tours have been touring the waterways of the Altamaha River and Cathead Creek tributary since 1984.

The Altamaha is the largest river in Georgia draining 1/3 or of the state before emptying in to the Atlantic Ocean north of St. Simons Island. Inhabitants along the river are rare and are on the endangered species list. There are Indian settlement ruins on some of the old bluffs, remnants of the timber boom and 200-year-old rice canals dug into the swamp can be seen from when rice was plentiful on the Georgia Coast. Visitors may also get to see 1,000-year-old ancient virgin Cypress trees.

The tour will take visitors along the river to Cathead Creek, a 15-mile tributary stream of the Altamaha River that flows from the wild Buffalo Swamp and empties into the Darien River.

Day trips are offered to visitors as well as a multi-day trip that can be from two to six days along the Altamaha and most run about 17 miles giving visitors a look at the mighty river and its habitats.

The trip consists of camping along the way and lunch stops at an old Indian bluff.

There are other trips offered by the tour company that can be done in three hours. Southeast Adventures Outfitters are located at 313 Mallory St., St. Simons Island.